Investigators have launched a manslaughter probe into the harrowing death of a guard at a Winter Olympics construction site as the international sporting event comes to a close.
Pietro Zantonini, 55, reportedly died from a heart attack while working a Jan. 8 overnight shift at the then-under construction Olympic venue in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
An autopsy confirmed the medical emergency was brought on by the freezing temperatures – but now prosecutors are evaluating if there is more to the story.
Zantonini, a resident of the coastal city of Brindisi, was stationed by the Cortina Olympic Stadium when it was just 10°F, according to Italian media outlets.
He began having trouble breathing at around 2 a.m. but by the time an ambulance was called to the scene, he was already dead.
Investigators are looking into any potential “aggravating circumstances” – such as unsafe word conditions – that may have contributed to Zantononi’s death, according to Open.
The Italian outlet reported that despite the below-freezing temperature, Zantonini only had a small heater with him as he braved the cold from a tiny temporary enclosure.
Zantonini reportedly complained about his working conditions leading up to his death. He was allegedly worried about his long overnight hours and the lack of protective measures in place at the site, per Open.
In the aftermath of his death, Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Simico, the government agency responsible for Olympic infrastructure, said in a statement at the time that it did not oversee the site where Zantonini died.
The Winter Olympic games, which kicked off on Feb. 6, have been hosted in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and will be wrapping up on Sunday.
The International Olympic Committee could not immediately be reached for comment.
